It is known to make lollipops using a lollipop machine that is provided with a drum rotating about a horizontal shaft, which drum is provided with a series of moulds at its circumference. The moulds are each built up from a lower mould that is fixed to the drum and an upper mould that can be folded up into an open position, in which the leading end of a strand of confectionery can be inserted onto the lower mould, and be folded into a closed position, in which between the upper mould and the lower mould a piece of confectionery has been accommodated. From a direction parallel to the drum axis a stick is then inserted in the mould, and from the opposite direction a pressure piston reduces the mould cavity, in order to shape the lollipop on the stick.
After opening the moulds again by folding up the upper moulds the lollipops are sequentially removed from the lower moulds and transferred by means of a transfer device to a conveyor usually provided with a series of clamps in order to be transported to a next processing station, such as a packaging station.
The moulds including the drum are then rotated further to the point where the strand reaches the moulds in order to be filled again with confectionery. The confectionery is placed in the moulds at a temperature of over 60 degrees C. The confectionery may stick to the steel surfaces of the moulds. In order to prevent this the moulds are passed through a cooling path prior to the lollipops being removed from the moulds. However, this requires time, which adversely affects the capacity. The length of the cooling path can be increased by increasing the diameter of the drum, but this increases the mass of the drum, as a result of which more energy is needed for bringing and keeping the drum in motion and an optional change of drum is difficult.
In case a drum is used having replaceable mould blocks that have the shape of a segment of a circle, in which blocks lower moulds are provided, it is known to provide the fixed drum casing with an annular channel for cooling liquid, wherein a fixed discharge line and a fixed supply line extend radially from the annular chamber to an axis of rotation, and then through the shaft to fixed connections while rotational couplings are placed in between. The radial distance between the annular chamber and the moulds is rather large here, as a result of which the cooling is less efficient. Furthermore replacing the moulds is laborious.
It is furthermore known to cool the moulds on a drum using cooling air, which enters at an end of a stationary hollow shaft, is stopped by a transverse partition in the hollow shaft, then escapes through radial apertures to a stationary chamber, in order to flow out through radial apertures in a wall having the shape of a segment of a circle and situated near the inner surface of the drum for cooling the drum. The cooling air subsequently flows through a slit-shaped space over a circular wall and then to a hollow space of the drum situated within there in order to flow into the hollow shaft again via apertures situated at the other side of the transverse partition and finally exit at the other end of the hollow shaft. The drum is provided with series of lower moulds extending in axial direction and circumferential direction, which lower moulds each can be moved upwards by means of plungers that extend radially outwards from the slit-shaped space. Said known device and cooling system accommodated therein is complex. Replacing the drum is only possible at high costs and involves great effort.